- PoliticsYahoo News
Trump lawyers contradict one another as they conclude first phase of impeachment trial
The president's top White House lawyer has repeatedly told the Senate that Trump did nothing wrong in withholding aid to Ukraine, even as other lawyers on his defense team directly contradicted that assertion over the last two days. In the opening moments of the Senate impeachment trial last Tuesday, some of Pat Cipollone's first words were that the president “has done absolutely nothing wrong. Cipollone asserted again on Saturday that Trump “did absolutely nothing wrong.
- WorldAssociated Press
Historians: Sobibor death camp photos may feature Demjanjuk
Historians have presented a collection of photos kept by the deputy commander of the Nazis' Sobibor death camp that they say appears to include images of John Demjanjuk, the retired Ohio auto worker who was tried in Germany for his alleged time as a Sobibor guard. The collection unveiled Tuesday at Berlin's Topography of Terror museum comprises 361 photos as well as written documents illustrating Johann Niemann's career. Niemann was the deputy commander of Sobibor from September 1942 until he was killed on Oct. 14, 1943, in an uprising by Jewish inmates.
- PoliticsThe Week
NPR, federal watchdog demand answers on Pompeo's evident retaliation over testy NPR interview
President Trump may think it amusing and laudatory that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo berated and cursed out NPR reporter Mary Louise Kelly last week after she asked him tough questions about Ukraine and whether he supports his diplomats, but NPR isn't laughing at Pompeo's behavior. The State Department informed NPR diplomatic correspondent Michele Keleman on Sunday, without explanation, that she will no longer be traveling with Pompeo on this week's trip to Britain, Ukraine, and Central Asia. The government watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) filed a Freedom of Information Act request Tuesday seeking emails, text messages, and other records related to the State Department's decision to kick Keleman off Pompeo's trip.
- StylePopular Mechanics
Get Early Access to Backcountry’s Big Winter Sale Right Now
Now's a better time than any to stock up on hiking boots, jackets, and more outdoor gear. From Popular Mechanics
- PoliticsThe Daily Beast
Joe Scarborough Trashes Trump’s Defense Team: ‘Confederacy of Dunces!’
After Monday's arguments by the president's legal squad featured a slew of Fox News regulars essentially rehashing their Hannity segments, Scarborough spent the first few minutes of MSNBC's signature morning program blasting the most standout moments. “Well, I mean—you had Confederacy of Dunces defending him in impeachment,” Scarborough declared, referencing the famous irreverent novel by John Kennedy Toole. Taking aim at Jane Raskin's insistence that Trump personal attorney Rudy Giuliani was only a “minor player” regarding Ukraine, the MSNBC star pointed out that Giuliani's name was mentioned multiple times by Trump himself in his infamous July 25 call with the Ukrainian president.
WorldAFPIndonesia's Aceh unveils new female flogging squad
Indonesia's president has issued a call for the public floggings to stop but he has little say over what happens in Aceh, a deeply conservative region on Sumatra island. Unlike the rest of the nation, Aceh follows religious law as part of a 2005 autonomy deal agreed with the central government that ended a decades-long separatist insurgency. Here, public whipping remains a common punishment for scores of offenders for a range of charges including gambling, adultery, drinking alcohol, and having gay or pre-marital sex.
- WorldReuters
U.N. criticizes Iraq trials of ISIS 'members', including human shields
The United Nations raised "serious concerns" on Tuesday about the trials of hundreds of alleged Islamic State members in Iraq, some of whom merely prepared meals, offered medical services or even acted as human shields for the jihadist group. Iraq has processed thousands of cases under its anti-terrorism law - including of detainees from outside the Middle East transferred from neighboring Syria - in the aftermath of a 2014-17 war against Islamic State militants.
- WorldBloomberg
Irish PM Gets Apology for Autistic Jibe From Former Running Mate
A former running mate of Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar apologized for describing him as autistic while trying to explain his difficulty connecting with voters. Senator Catherine Noone, who is running as a general election candidate for Varadkar's Fine Gael party, also described him “uncomfortable socially” in an interview with the Irish edition of the Times newspaper. Noone is standing in north Dublin, having previously shared a ticket with Varadkar in the west of the city.
- WorldThe National Interest
Israel's Air Force Has a New Air-Launched "Rampage" Ballistic Missile
Israel reportedly used in combat for the first time a new kind of fast, long-range missile. According to aviation journalist Babak Taghvaee, on April 13, 2019 Israeli air force warplanes fired, for the first time, at least one Rampage air-launched ballistic missile at a missile factory and weapons warehouses in Masyaf, Syria. The Israelis chose to deploy Rampage “due to the danger of Syria Air Defense Force's S-300PM-2s,” Taghvaee tweeted.
- PoliticsNational Review
Former Zelensky Aide Says Trump Admin. Request for Investigations ‘Rattled’ Ukrainian President
Ukraine's former national security council chairman said that he left the Volodymyr Zelensky administration after becoming “uncomfortable” with American efforts to coerce the opening of politically advantageous investigations. Oleksandr Danylyuk, speaking with The Daily Beast in his first on-the-record interview since President Trump's impeachment began, directly contradicted December comments made by Andriy Yermak, a top Zelensky aide, who said “we never had that feeling” that a holdup in U.S. military aide was tied to the requested investigations. Danyluk said the request, which was detailed during the House's impeachment inquiry by ambassador to the E.U. Gordon Sondland, “rattled” Zelensky's team which had worked through a draft for Ukrainian-American cooperation that “at its core” prioritized national security.
- PoliticsAssociated Press
Sanders' Social Security 'adjustments' undercut Biden attack
As a congressman in the 1990s, Bernie Sanders expressed an openness to making “adjustments" to the tax and benefit structure of Social Security. Sanders' presidential campaign and allies have highlighted similar remarks by Joe Biden to attack the former vice president and make the explosive charge that Biden was an outspoken proponent of slashing the program. With Iowa's first-in-the-nation presidential caucuses less than a week away, Sanders' remarks from decades ago are surfacing as a counterpunch to the criticism of Biden, as the two top candidates in the Democratic race escalate a feud over the nation's most popular entitlement, an issue that has particular reach among older voters.
WorldYahoo News VideoSoldier killed, general wounded during Mexico drug plane raid
A Mexican soldier was killed and a general wounded Monday when traffickers opened fire on a military patrol that sought to intercept a drug plane as it landed on a roadway, officials said.
- WorldBusiness Insider
Chinese villages are cutting themselves off from the world with makeshift brick walls to try to stop outsiders from giving them the Wuhan virus
Chinese villages are cutting themselves off from the world to try to prevent the deadly Wuhan coronavirus from taking hold in their communities. Sky News documented six villages about 600 miles from the epicenter of the outbreak, Wuhan, in the Chinese province of Hubei who had taken defensive measures. Villages in central China are going to extreme measures to cut themselves off from the deadly Wuhan coronavirus.
- PoliticsUSA TODAY
Lev Parnas has a ticket to attend President Trump's impeachment trial. But his court-ordered ankle monitor has gotten in the way.
NEW YORK — Mr. Lev Parnas wanted to go to Washington — to be a spectator at President Donald Trump's impeachment trial. The Ukraine-born businessman, who has given House impeachment investigators reams of potential evidence for their case against the man he once lionized, got tickets for part of Wednesday afternoon's trial session, his lawyer Joseph Bondy wrote in a Tuesday night court filing. The seating arrangements came from the office of Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
- U.S.The Daily Beast
Idaho Nurse Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Helping Cover Up Kelsey Berreth’s Murder
A former Idaho nurse was sentenced to three years in prison on Tuesday for helping Patrick Frazee cover up the murder of his fiancée last Thanksgiving. Krystal Lee, 33, was sentenced after pleading guilty in February to evidence tampering and testifying against Frazee, her on-again, off-again boyfriend, who was convicted of killing 29-year-old Kelsey Berreth. Frazee, a 33-year-old cattle rancher, was convicted in November on all six charges against him for the slaying and disappearance of Berreth and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus 156 years.
- WorldReuters
'Now they can chase their dreams': Bangladesh allows Rohingya children to study
Rohingya refugees reacted with surprise and joy on Wednesday to the news that Bangladesh would provide formal education to their children, two and a half years after they were forced to flee Myanmar. Human rights groups have long campaigned for the nearly half a million effectively stateless Rohingya children in Bangladesh's refugee camps to be allowed access to quality education, warning of the costs of a 'lost generation'. "Oh my god!
- WorldBloomberg
Erdogan Warns Russia Risks Split With Turkey on Syria Attack
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan voiced rare recent criticism of Russia for its conduct in Syria, saying his “patience is running out” over the ongoing bombing of opposition Islamist forces in Idlib province. As of now, Russia is loyal to neither Astana nor Sochi” agreements, Erdogan told reporters on his way back from a visit to African countries, according to Anadolu Agency. He was referring to accords struck by the two countries in recent years to curtail fighting in northern Syria.
- WorldThe National Interest
The Israeli Army Is Unprepared for a Ground War with Iran and Hezbollah
The 319th Division, stationed in northern Israel, is short of equipment such as tanks, and the equipment it does have is in poor condition, according to an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) audit cited by Israeli news site Ynet. According to the audit's findings, 52 percent of combat vehicles are unfit for use and there is a 20 percent shortage of weapons and night-vision equipment for soldiers,” Ynet said. The auditors found that many armored vehicles were lacking during proper maintenance checks, with 68 of them sitting uncovered and unprotected against the elements.
- PoliticsThe Week
Mitt Romney rebels, drinks chocolate milk on Senate floor
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) is taking a stand against one of the Senate's strictest rules. When in the hallowed halls of the Senate chamber, lawmakers may only sip water or milk, the latter of which has been spotted in the glasses of a few senators throughout the past week of impeachment. A slew of reporters spotted Romney, safely outside the Senate camera's view, drinking the chocolate milk from an approved glass on Tuesday — he'd tried to bring it to the floor in a "contraband bottle" earlier, per The Wall Street Journal. It's not the healthiest choice, but as Romney's wife Ann Romney told Politico in 2011, it's his guilty pleasure food.
- WorldAssociated Press
China wants Danish daily to apologize for virus cartoon
China demanded Monday that a major Danish newspaper, which angered Muslims worldwide by publishing drawings of the Prophet Muhammad in 2005, apologizes for a cartoon on the new virus outbreak in China. Jyllands-Posten's chief editor, Jacob Nybroe, said the cartoon, which shows the Chinese flag with what resembles viruses instead of the normal stars, was not intended “to mock or ridicule China. In a statement, the Chinese Embassy in Copenhagen expressed its “strong indignation” and said the cartoon printed Monday “is an insult to China.
- U.S.National Review
Biden-Tied Lobbyist Bought Island Property from Biden’s Brother, Gave Him Mortgage Loan
Financial records reviewed by Politico show that Joe Biden's brother James sold one of his three parcels of land in the U.S. Virgin Islands at a substantial profit to a well-connected lobbyist who then extended a mortgage to James on the remaining two parcels. In May 2005, James Biden purchased an acre of land on Water Island for $150,000. Green's lobbying firm, Lafayette Group — which features a photo of Green with Biden on its website and quotes Biden endorsing Green — earned two government contracts from the Federal Emergency Management Agency worth a total of $5.8 million on April 11, 2010.
- WorldBusiness Insider
The outbreaks of both the Wuhan coronavirus and SARS likely started in Chinese wet markets. Photos show what the markets look like.
The Huanan Wholesale Seafood Market in Wuhan closed on January 1 after it was found to be the most likely starting point for the outbreak of this coronavirus, also called 2019-nCov. NOEL CELIS/AFP via Getty Images A 61-year-old man was the first person to die from the virus. According to Bloomberg, he was a regular shopper at the Huanan wet market, which sold more than seafood.
- WorldThe Independent
Sinkholes appear in Cayman Islands after massive 7.7-magnitude earthquake
Viral footage appears to show sinkholes swallowing large chunks of roads following a string of earthquakes off the coasts of Jamaica and Cuba. A major 7.7 magnitude quake prompted tsunami warnings and building evacuations as far as Miami, several hundred miles from the quake's centre. Videos shared on social media show sinkholes opening in the Cayman Islands, where a 4.9-magnitude aftershock was reported following Tuesday's massive quake.
- U.S.The Daily Beast
Navy SEAL Promoted After Choking Green Beret to Death
The U.S. Navy promoted Chief Petty Officer Tony DeDolph four months after he admitted to choking a Green Beret to death. DeDolph—who will be back in court Thursday for a preliminary hearing—was formally charged in November 2018 with felony murder, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, burglary, hazing, and involuntary manslaughter in the strangulation death of Army Staff Sgt. Logan Melgar, a Special Forces soldier assigned to the 3rd Special Forces Group. Melgar was nearing the end of his deployment when he was killed in the West African nation of Mali in June 2017.
- WorldReuters
Mexican president says 'we don't want to fight' after Trump repeats border wall claim
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Wednesday "we don't want to fight", responding to reports that U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday repeated his claim that Mexico is paying for a border wall, adding that elections are approaching in the United States. "Our relationship with the government of the United States is good," said Lopez Obrador, speaking during his regular morning news conference. "We don't want to fight."
What to Read Next
PHOTOS: Ukraine International Airlines plane crashes in Iran killing all on board
Yahoo News Photo Staff